THE Guildford Philharmonic Orchestra (GPO) was set to play its final concert on Friday evening before a new borough council funded group takes up its mantle.

The last show marks the end of a 68-year-old funding agreement between Guildford Borough Council and the philharmonic orchestra, which members of the council’s executive decided to scrap last year.

In an attempt to save around £90,000 a year, executive members opted to offer a classical music grant of up to £60,000 in its place, for which any organisation could apply.

Discontinuation of the orchestra means that two employees at the borough council will lose their jobs.

Seven bids were made and the partner chosen by the council will receive the grant of up to £60,000 a year until 2016.

“We have chosen a new provider, but this is still subject to a final decision and a suitable funding agreement,” said a council spokesman.

“Three councillors, an officer and a leading specialist completed the stage two evaluations. A programme of events formed part of the submission at stage two.

"The panel also looked at previous experience, the variety of music, the appeal to a wide age audience and professional standing of musicians and directors.

“We will no longer directly employ staff in relation to classical music provision. We are currently working through the required process with directly affected staff.”

The spokesman added that they were not able to disclose the name of the group receiving the grant at this stage.

It is hoped that the change will save the council around £90,000 a year after it was claimed that the ticket subsidy for the GPO, which the council has funded since 1945 when it was known as the Guildford Municipal Orchestra, was poor value for money.

Estimates put the yearly cost of the orchestra for 2012/13 at £190,000. Administration fees for the new grant system will cost the council £41,500, meaning it would spend £101,500 on musical provision each year.

The average ticket subsidy was calculated to be approximately £46 per ticket, which was compared to a subsidy of £2.22 per ticket at Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre.

The group’s final performance will take place at Holy Trinity, which will also mark the 250th anniversary of the reconstruction of the church in 1763.

The programme includes Elgar’s Serenade for Strings, and more fittingly, Haydn’s Farewell Symphony.

At the time the council cut its funding to the orchestra, Keith Motson, membership and communications manager at the Association of British Orchestras, claimed the numbers being quoted in terms of the subsidy were very selective and nowhere near £46 per ticket.

He added that it was an "incredibly shortsighted" decision to stop funding the GPO.